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Oct. 6, 1964 E. LONGFELLOW Re. 25,653

GAS APPLIANCE CONNECTOR Original Filed March 5, 1958 Tic. 1..

f /5 Z/ 20 /5 7 t5 /4 s. I I V 3 ,10 /5 /7 {Z l/ l /4 I Z5 1 FY2 INV ENTOR. 5M2 lo/vaFawn/ United States Patent 5 653 GAS APPLIANoE CONNECTOREarl Longfellow, 421 W. 21st St, New York, N.Y. Original No. SAWS/738,dated Nov. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 719,307, lvlar. 5, 1958. Application forreissue Oct. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 318,135

6 Claims. (Cl. 285-329) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in theoriginal patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matterprinted in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to flexible corrugated metallic tubes of the typeused as gas appliance connectors and has for its primary purpose theprovision of an improved connector providing advantages in theconnecting of an end thereof in fluid tight relation to a gas applianceor gas piping.

There are certain basic requirements of construction and performancethat connectors of the indicated type must satisfy before they can beapproved for use with gas appliances. Among other things, suchconnectors should be corrosion resistant to sulphides, should notrequire the use of gaskets to assure gas tightness of the fittings, andshould be capable of withstanding a temperature of lOGO F. withoutleakage. Further, such connectors should be able to make a leak-proofconnection with a low torque tightening of the fitting not to exceed 400lb.-in. per inch of tubing diameter. Also, the connector should not leakwhen after being so connected, it is discon nected and then reconnectedby the application of a torque not exceeding such 400 lb.-in. per inchof tubing diameter. An attached connector should be able to withstand,without leakage and without becoming detached, a steady lengthwise pullof 800 lbs. per inch of nominal inside diameter for five minutes. Itshould also not leak, break or be otherwise adversely afiected by theapplication of a tightening torque of 1040 lb.-in. per inch of nominaltubing diameter. A further requirement is that at least one end of theconnector shall be equipped with a union fitting. As a result of theseand other requirements, many of the means heretofore provided onconnectors for coupling the same to gas appliances and piping have beencomplicated in construction and expensive to make.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a flexiblemetallic gas appliance connector capable of satisfying the stringenttests for certification and yet having such simple construction that itcan be made in quantity at a substantially lower cost than many knowntypes of appliance connectors.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved applianceconnector capable of being easily applied without the use of skill orspecial tools to provide a leak-proof coupling.

Other objects, as well as the advantages of the invention, will becomeapparent after a perusal of the following description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is anexploded sectional elevation of one end of a flexible corrugatedmetallic appliance connector embodying the invention and shows theconstruction of the tubing end thereof before the connector has beenapplied to a gas appliance or gas pip'mg; and

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but shows the coupling membersassembled and the manner in which the tube end is deformed by suchassemblage of the coupling members to form a leak-proof ioint.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 16 indicates generally theflexible metallic tube of the connector. The tube 10 is a compound tubecomposed of an outer spirally corrugated tube 11 and an inner spirallycorrugated tube 12. The outer tube 11 is made of a hard metal such asReissned Oct. 6, 1964 brass to provide the connector with the desiredstrength and wear resistance. The inner tube 12, on the other hand, ismade of a relative softer metal that is capable of being compressed ordeformed under low torque tightening as will hereinafter become moreclear and yet can withstand a temperature of 1000" F. without melting. Ametal having the aforesaid desired characteristics for inner tube 12 isaluminum, which in its pure or alloyed form is also capable of affordingprotection against sulphur that may be in the gas conducted through suchtube. The inner tube 12 by preference closely fits the bore of the outertube 11 and, at least at the ends, the two tubes may be joined togetherin any suitable manner as by compression or fusion to assuremanipulation of the two tubes as a unit.

The compound tube 19 can be formed in any desired manner known to theart for forming a spirally corrugated compound metal tubing to provide aconduit of suitable flexibility for use with gas appliances. As formed,the compound tube 10 has the spiral configuration depicted in the lefthand ends of the tube portions shown in the drawings and the two tubes11 and 12 which go to make up such compound tube are of substantiallyequal lenght. In forming the connector of the invention, a pair of steelcoupling nuts 13 may first be assembled on a predetermined section ofthe compound tubing. As illustrated, each of the coupling nuts has aninternal end flange 14 which engages a ring 15 secured to the tubingsection and an internal thread 16 which threadedly engages with theexternally threaded portion 17 of a steel coupling member 18. The twocoupling members or nuts 13 are assembled on the tubing section so thatthe flanges 14 thereof are between the rings 15 and the threaded endsthereof project toward the ends of such section. The section of compoundtubing may then have threaded on its ends the steel rings 15 which areeach provided on its inner surface with a spiral groove 29 correspondingin pitch and shape to the outer corrugations on such section. The steelrings 15 preferably are each positioned on the section of tubing at aplace spaced from the associated end of the latter to provide fourcorrugations of the tubing between such associated end and ring. Thesefour corrugations are then flattened on top of the threaded steel ringto lock the latter in place on the tubing and to provide a substantiallyrigid portion 21 of tubing in which a gas or fluid-tight seat 22 for thecoupling member 18 may thereafter be formed (note FIG. 2) and which atthe same time will act as part of the union fitting in the applicationof the connector to a gas appliance or piping.

The foregoing operations complete the construction of the connector inthe form in which it is supplied to the user. As shown in FIG. 1 of thedrawings, the flattened corrugations in each of the end portions 21 ofthe thus completed connector form a compact, solid mass of annular shapeand high rigidity. The inner corrugated aluminum wall 12 in each endportion 21 may have the same thickness as inner wall 12, or may bethickened by applying sufiicient pressure in the flattening of thecorrugations to cause the aluminum located between the collapsed walls11' of brass in end portion 21 to be extraded into such wall 12. Beforeforwarding the connector to the user, the nuts 13 may be screwed ontothe threaded portions 17 of the coupling members 18 sufficiently toassure that the assemblage will stay together during shipping andhandling.

It will be noted in the drawings that the coupling mem' bers 18 eachinclude a body portion which is flattenecon its exterior surface forwrench engagement and whicl has an internally threaded portion 25 toreceive 2 threaded part of a gas appliance or gas piping. The passagedefined by the internal thread 25 communicates witl:

eases a reduced passage 26 extending through the threaded portion 17 ofthe coupling member. At the outer end of passage 26, the coupling memberisprovided with a conical outer surface 27 adapted to enter into theopposing associated end portion 21 of tube 16 When the associatedcoupling members 13 and 18 are screwed together on an end portion 21,the end 27 of coupling member 13 is forced into the passage of such endportion. Under the pressure applied to the coupling members, thealuminum material engaged by the coupling end 27 is caused to flow so asto progressively form the conicallyshaped seat 22, the seating surfaceof which will perfectly mate with every portion of the conical surfaceof coupling end 27 and together with the later will form a joint that isleak-proof and capable of passing all tests to which it may be subjectedfor certification. As is shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, in theformation of the seat 22 the terminal edge of the outermost brass wall11 in tube portion 21 is bent in a curved fashion so that it forms, inpart at least, the outer edge portion of the seat 22. This bent brassedge smoothly joins with the aluminum which has been caused to flowinwardly both longitudinally and radially so that at the inner end ofthe seat the diameter or" the opening therethrough is less than theinside diameter of the compound tube 1%. The coupling end 27 during thisworking of the aluminum has a tendency also to form a slight shoulder 28of aluminum at the inner end of the seat 22, which shoulder enhances thegas-tight connection formed between the coupling end 27 and seat 22. Tocomplete the formation of the seal, the coupling end 27 is advanced in alongitu- :linal direction until the flat shoulder 29 formed on thecoupling member 18 at the inner terminus of end 27 engages the terminalend of the tube portion 21. Thus, he complete seal is accomplished bythe engagement of :he coupling end 27 with the seat 22 and shoulder 28,1nd by the engagement of the shoulder 29 with the termi- 1al end of thetube end portion 21. In certain situations he coupling end 27 may beadvanced into the end porion 21 a distance greater than its length in alongitudinal lirection, in which case, the seat 22 will extend a greaterlistance into the end portion 21 and the outer corrugaions forming suchportion may be somewhat expanded. the terminal end of these expandedcorrugations how- :ver will still form a seal with the fiat shoulder 29which of sufficient width to take care of such expansion. If t is foundnecessary to disconnect the coupled end porion 21 for any reason, a newconnection may be made a the manner above described without thenecessity of rying to match the previously engaged surfaces of the )int,since as pressure is applied to the coupling memers the aluminum in theend portion 21 will be caused a flow to form a perfect seal with theexterior surface f the coupling end 27 and a new seal will be formedetween the end of the tube and shoulder 29.

While I have hereinabove described and illustrated in 1e accompanyingdrawings a preferred embodiment of 1y invention, it will be understoodby those skilled in 1e art that various changes and modifications may beiade therein without departing from the spirit of the inention or thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A gas appliance connector comprising a flexible metallic compositetubing constituted of a plurality of )mplete tubes positioned one withinthe other, each of lid complete tubes being a corrugated flexiblemetallic [be and the opposed surfaces of said tubes being conguousthroughout the corrugated lengths of such tubes, [6 inner of said tubesbeing composed of a metal which softer than the metal of the outer tube,is deformable nder low torque tightening and will withstand a temeratureof 1000" F. without melting, a solid ring secured ljacent an end portionof said tubing, the end of said .bing beyond said ring beinglongitudinally compressed, first coupling member connected to saidtubing by said ng, and a fi pnd coupling member threadedly engageablewith said first coupling member and having on its inner end a projectingsolid comically-shaped member insertable into said compressed endportion of the tubing and a transverse shoulder located outwardly ofsaid conically-shaped member and engageable with said tubing end uponsuch insertion of said coupling member end, said first coupling memberbeing rotatably engaged with said solid ring and adapted to carry saidsolid ring and the tubing secured thereto axially in engagement withsaid conically-shaped member upon threaded engagement of said first andsaid second coupling members, and the smaller diameter of the exteriorconical surface on said conically-shaped member being substantiallyequal to but not greater than the internal diameter of the corrugatedtubing, said coupling member end being operable under pressure appliedto said coupling members and the resulting longitudinal forces createdbetween said solid ring and said coupling member end to cause anextrusion of the metal of the inner layer of tubing engaged by said endon said compressed end portion such as to cause such extruded metal toform a seal with said coupling member end, said engaged parts of saidtubing including said extruded metal of the inner layer of tubing, andsaid coupling member end coacting to provide a leakproof joint betweensaid tubing and said second coupling member.

2. A gas appliance connector comprising a flexible metallic compositetubing constituted of a plurality of complete tubes positioned onewithin the other, each of said complete tubes being a corrugatedflexible metallic tube and the opposed surfaces of said tubes beingcontiguous throughout the corrugated lengths of such tubes, the outer ofsaid tubes being made of brass and the inner of said tubes being made ofdeformable aluminum, a solid ring secured adjacent an end portion ofsaid tubing, the end of said tubing beyond said ring beinglongitudinally compressed, a first coupling member connected to saidtubing by said ring, and a second coupling member threadedly engageablewith said first coupling member and having on its inner end a projectingsolid conically-shaped member insertable into said compressed endportion of the tubing and a transverse shoulder located outwardly ofsaid conically-shaped member and engageable with said tubing end uponsuch insertion of said coupling member end, said first coupling memberbeing rotatably engaged with said solid ring and adapted to carry saidsolid ring and the tubing secured thereto axially in engagement withsaid conically-shaped member upon threaded engagement of said first andsaid second coupling members, and the smaller diameter of the exteriorconical surface on said conically-shaped member being substantiallyequal to but not greater than the internal diameter of the corrugatedtubing, said coupling member end being operable under pressure appliedto said coupling members and the resulting longitudinal forces createdbetween said solid ring and said coupling member end to cause anextrusion of the aluminum metal of the inner tube engaged by said end onsaid compressed end portion such as to cause such extruded metal to forma seal with said solid coupling member end, said engaged parts of saidtubing including said extruded aluminum metal of the inner tube, andsaid coupling member end coacting to provide a leakproof joint betweensaid tubing and said second coupling member.

3. A gas appliance connector comprising a flexible corrugated tubinghaving a plurality of the corrugations at one end thereof flattenedunder longitudinal compressions, the compressed end portion of saidtubing having a lining of substantial thickness constituted of softermaterial than the material forming the exterior wall of said tubing, thematerial of said lining being deformable under low torque tightening andcapable of withstanding a temperature of 1000 F. without melting, afirst coupling member connected to said tubing, and a second couplingmember threadedly engageable with said first coupling member and havingon its inner end a projecting solid member insertable into said liningof said compressed end portion and having a conically-shaped exteriorsurface engageable with said lining, and said inner end having atransverse shoulder located outwardly of said projecting member andengageable with said tubing end upon such insertion of said couplingmember end, said first coupling member being engaged with said tubingand adapted to carry said tubing axially into engagement with saidconically-shaped exterior surface upon threaded engagement of said firstand said second coupling members, and the smaller diameter of saidcomically-shaped exterior surface being substantially equal to but notgreater than the internal diameter of the corrugated tubing, saidcoupling member end being operable under longitudinal pressure appliedthrough said coupling members to cause an extrusion of said liningmaterial engaged by said end such as to cause such extruded liningmaterial to form a seal with said inner end, said engaged parts of saidtubing including said extruded lining material, and said cou plingmember end coacting to provide a leakproof joint between said tubing andsaid second coupling member.

4. A gas appliance connector comprising a flexible metallic compositetubing constituted of a plurality of complete corrugated flexiblemetallic tubes positioned one within the other, the outer of said tubesbeing composed of a relatively hard metal providing the tubing as awhole with sufiicient strength to withstand substantially high stresseswithout leakage and becoming detached, and the inner of said tubes beingcomposed of a metal which is softer than the metal of the outer tube andis deformable under low torque tightening, said tubes of hard and softmetals at, at least, one end of said composite tubing being similarlydeformed to provide said tubing at said one end thereof with an integralannular coupling member receiving portion symmetrical with respect tothe longitudinal axis of said tubing and having an axial configurationdifferent from that of the corrugated body of said tubing, a firstcoupling member operatively connected to said one end of said tubing,and a second coupling member cooperative with said first coupling memberand having on its coupling end a projecting member having an outerconically-shaped surface inserted into said annular portion at said oneend of the tubing, the dimensions of such outer conically-shaped surfacebeing such that the small end of said projecting member telescopes intosaid annular end portion, and the inner wall of which annular endportion is distorted by engagement with the increasing diameter of saidprojecting member, said projecting member being operable under pressureapplied to said coupling members to cause an extrusion of the soft metalof the inner tube engaged by said projecting member so as to furtherdeform such engaged soft metal relative to and against the hard metal ofthe portion of the outer tube encircling such engaged soft metal andaround and in contact with said projecting member so as to cause suchextruded soft metal to form a seal with the outer conical surface ofsaid projecting member providing a leakproof joint between said flexiblecomposite tubing and said coupling members.

5. The gas appliance connector claimed in claim 4, in which said secondcoupling member has a transverse shoulder located outwardly of saidprojecting member thereof and engageable with said one end of the tubingupon such insertion of said projecting member, said transverse shouldercoacting with said projecting member, and said engaged parts of thetubing including said extruded metal of the inner tube, to provide aleakproof joint between said tubing and said second coupling member.

6. The gas appliance connector claimed in claim 4, in which saiddeformed one end of said tubing has a configuration enabling thesecurement of said first coupling member to said tubing and providing aseat for said projecting member of said second coupling member, theouter of said tubes in said tubing being constituted of brass ofsufiicient hardness to provide in the deformed end ofsaid outer tube thestrength to retain said first coupling member on said tubing, and theinner of said tubes being made of deformable aluminum and providing inthe deformed end of said inner tube the seat for said projecting memberof said second coupling member.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patentUNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 21,603 Guarnaschelli Oct. 22, 1940 979,460Fulton Dec. 27, 1910 1,315,548 Fletcher et a1. Sept. 9, 1919 1,726,483Giesler Aug. 27, 1929 1,801,403 White Apr. 21, 1931 2,041,543Guarnaschelli May 19, 1936 2,100,270 Romine Nov. 23, 1937 2,112,238Guarnaschelli Mar. 29, 1938 2,113,211 Lake Apr. 5, 1938 2,158,619Eastman May 16, 1939 2,158,620 Eastman May 16, 1939 2,490,686Guarnaschelli Dec. 6, 1949 2,739,828 Schindler Mar. 27, 1956 2,745,797Long May 15, 1956 2,773,710 Smith Dec. 11, 1956 2,823,933 Hickman et alFeb. 18, 1956 2,832,613 Farrar Apr. 29, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 930,267France Aug. 4, 1947 264,989 Great Britain Feb. 3, 1927 734,265 GreatBritain July 27, 1955

